Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome Ms Carolan Lennon, chief executive officer of Eir. She is accompanied by Mr. Edward Storey, director of strategy and corporate communications. I remind everybody to put mobile phones onto airplane mode, as merely having them on silent can interfere with the recording system. I thank the witnesses for their attendance. I want the public to know the witnesses are not obliged to be here and we are grateful for their presence. They are here to inform and educate us about the telecommunications and broadband issue. The Department attended some time ago. We do not have any technical expertise and felt that talking to industry would help us in our understanding in order that we are better informed when we have the Department back in. The witnesses are not under examination like a Department and are here to assist us. If any question is directed at them which they feel is one for the Department, they should say that and not answer for the Department. We will deal with the Department.

I advise witnesses that by virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their evidence to the committee. However, if they are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and they continue to so do, they are entitled thereafter only to a qualified privilege in respect of their evidence. They are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given and they are asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should not criticise or make charges against any person, persons or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable.

I call Ms Lennon to make her opening statement.